Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-12-15

| oss, leaving 2sssnss persons employed In
such manufacturing industries IS are claimed 70
be benefited by high tariff To these the ap-
peal is made to save their employment ana
maintain their wages by resisting q change.
There should be no disposition to answer such
suggestions by the allegation that they are in
minority among those who labor, and there
fore should forego an advantage IN the in
terest OF low prices for the majority. Their
compensation. as IL may be Affected by the
operation OF tariff laws. should at all times be
scrupulously kept in view; and yet with slight
reflection they will not overlook the fact that
they consumers with the rest; that they,
too, have their own wants and those OF their
families to supply from their earnings, and that
the prices OF the necessaries of life. as well
the amount of their wages, will regulate the
measure of their welfare and comfort
But the reduction OF taxation demanded
should be measured as not TO necessitate or
justify either the loss OF employment by the
workingrnan or the lessenng OF his wages; and
the profits still remaining TO the manufacturer,
after a necessary readjuStment, should FUR
nish no excuse for the sacrifice OF the inter
ests OF his employees either in their opportunity
TO work or in the diminution of their compensa-
ton. Nor can the worker in manufactures fail
10 understand that while high tariff is claimed
to be necessary TO allow the payment OF remun-
eratIye wages. II certainly results IN very large
increase in the price of nearly all sorts OF manu-
features, which, in almost countless forms, he
needs for the OF himself and his family. He
receives at the desk OF his employer his wages.
and perhaps before he reaches his home Is
obliged, in a purchase for family use OF
article which embraces his own labor. to return
in the payment of the increase in price which
the tariff permits, the hard earned coInpensa-
ton of many days OF toll
The farmer or the agriculturiSt who manu-
features nothing, but who paws the increased
price which the tariff imposes upon every aSri-
cultural implement, upon all he wears and upon
all he uses and owns, except the increase OF his
%l. hue
bandry he produces from the SOIL is invited to
aid in maintaining the present situation; and he
is told that high duty on imported wool is nee
essary for the benefit OF those who have sheep
to shear, in order that the price OF their wool
may be increased. They, OF course. are not re-
minded that the farmer who has ND sheep is by
this scheme obliged, in his purchases OF clGth-
ing and wooden goods. to pay tribute to
his fellow farmer we'll as to the manufacture
and merchant; nor is any mention made OF
the fact that the sheep owners Themselves and
their households must wear clothing and use
other articles manufactured from The wool they
sell at tarirI prices, and thus as consumers must
return their share of this increased price to the
tradesman. think it may be fairly assumed
that large proportion OF the sheep owned by
the farmers througho the country are found
in small fiocks numbering from twenty -fve TO
fifty The duty on the grade OF imported wool
which those sheep yield is ten cents for each
pound il OF the value OF thirty cents and twelve
cents If of the value OF more than thirty cents
II the liberal estimate OF six pounds be allowed
for each fleece, the duty thereon would be sixty
or seventy-two cents. and this may be taken as
the utmost enhancement of the price TO the
farmer by reason of this duty. Eighteen dol
lars would thus represent the increased price OF
the wool from twenty-five sheep and thirty-six
dollars that from the wo oil OF fifty sheep; and at
present values this addition would amount to.
about one-third OF its price. II upon its sale
the farmer receives this a less tariff profit,
the wool leaves his hands charged with precise
ly that sum, which in all its changes will ad-
here to 1t. until it reaches the consumer. When
manufactured into cloth and other goods AID
material for use its cost is not only increased
to the extent OF the farmers tariff profit but o
further sum has been added for the benefit OF
the manufacturer under the operation OF other
tariff laws In the meantime the day arrives
when the farmer finds 1t necessary to purchase
wooden goods and material to clothe himself
and family for the winter. When he faces the
tradesman for that purpose he discovers
that he is obliged not only to return in the
way of increased prices his tariff profit on
the wool he sold, and which then perhaps lies
before him in manufactured form, but that he
must add a considerable sum thereto to meet
further increase in cost caused by a tariff duty
on the manufacture. Thus in the end he is
aroused to the fact that he has paid upon a
moderate purchase, as u result of the tariff
schome, which, when he sold his wool, seemed
so profitable increase in price, more than
sufficient 10 sweep away all the tarin profit he
received upon the wool he produced and sold.
When the number of farmers engaged in
wool-raisng is compared with all the farmers in
the country, and the small proportion they bear
to our population is considered; when it is
made apparent that. in case of large part OF
those who own sheep. the benefit of the present
tariff wool is illusory: and. above all, when
1t must be conceded that the increase of the
cost of living caused by such tarin becomes
burden upon those with moderate means and
the poor, the employed and unemployed, the
sick and well, and the young and DID, and that
it constitutes a tax, which. with relentless
grasp, is fastened upon the clothing of every
man, woman and child in the land reasons are
suggested why the removal or reduction of this
duty should be included in q revision OF our
tariff laws.
In speaking OF the increased cost to the con-
sumner of our home manufacture, resulting from
Il duty laid upon imported articles of the
description, the~fact is not overlooked that COM
petition among our domestic producers some
times has the effect Of keeping the price OF their
products below the highest limit allowed by
such duty. But ii is notorious that this compe-
tition is too often strangled by combinations
quite prevalent at this time, and frequently
called trusts, which have for their object the
regulation Of the supply and price or commodl-
ties made and sold by members OF the combina-
ton. The people can hardly hope for any con-
sideration in the operation OF these Selnsh
schemes. If, however, in the absence of such
combination, q healthy and free competition
reduces the price of any particular dutiable
article OF home production below the limit
which it might otherwise reach under our tariff
laws. and il, with such reduced price. its manu-
facture continues to thrive, ii is entirely evil
dent that one thing has been discovered which
should be carefully scrutiniZed in effort TO
reduce taxation. The necessity OF combina-
ton to maintain the price of any commodity to
the tariff point furnishes proof that some one
is willing to accept Liver prices for such com
modify. and that such prices are remunerative
and lower prices produced by competition prove
the same thing. Thus where either of these
conditions exists, a case would seem to be pre-
sented for an easy reduction of taxation.
The considerations which have been presented
touching our tariff laws are intended only to
enforce an earnest recommendation that the
surplus revenues of the Government be pre-
! vented by the reduction OF our customs duties.